Concept assimilation

Should that step be omitted, the person close [to the item] may follow the pattern of concept assimilation and embed it in their mind.

— On preparation of meòganach, fiodh de fhreumhan teine and other special materials

Concept assimilation is a phenomenon which, through osmosis, i.e. difference in pressures, results in a slow and steady assimilation of a concept. The process is often discussed when talking about an object strongly related to a particular idea, e.g., hidden within the plants or the minerals occuring in the wild. It is not uncommon, however to observe the process in man-made objects, often created for study purposes.

From the inside the cottage looked even better than from the outside. The wood was beautiful and warm in colour and the dancing shadows of the fireplace made the dark veiny patterns on the rough wood almost moving. It looked as if several drops of coal-black ink were dropped and started tracing complex river-like routes, disregarding the urge to flow down.

Steps of the process

1. coigrich (strangers) - the two representations have not had enough contact for the process to start; usually it takes anywhere from several minutes up to a couple of days (weeks in edge cases)
2. aithne (acquaitance) - the assimilation has begun and will continue until the object with the higher concept pressure
1. sradag (spark) - the process is initiated; the person touching the object starts to feel/act a little different
2. teine (fire) - the concept is becoming more natural, being slowly absorbed by the person's mind; at one point, the person shows a change in attitude towards the concept absorbed -- if it was previously alien, from now it becomes more and more "understandable". After that point the person is becoming more and more affiliated with the concept and it will become increasingly more difficuly to severe that connection.
3. luaithre (ash) - the process is slowing down but the transfer is still taking place; at this stage it is still possible for the person to get rid of the object
3. deagh charaidean - the assimilation is complete; the concept was absorbed by the person and forms an essential part of their mind

He felt so down when he came here but this place seemed different. It almost felt as if everything around pulled him into a completely opposite state of mind. The agitation. The rouse. The excitement! They all made him uneasy at first and he almost felt forced to go out a lot more than in Gáláwá. The walks gave him some time to rest and settle, though; and when he got back, with new ideas ready to write, the place was there to support him.

Mechanism

Pressure difference

For the assimilation to take place several conditioins must be met:

1. there must exist two objects with a different intensity of some concept
• an object with a higher intensity (stòr àrd)
• an object with a lower intensity (stòr ìosal)
2. the two objects must be in a "close proximity" (close can take very different values but the rule of thumb is that the higher the intensity, the smaller the proximity)

PLACEHOLDER MARMOTS by PxHere (edit by Angantyr)

Time

When the two objects meet, then after a sufficient ammount of time, the osmosis takes place and starts the process of transferring the concept onto the other object. A person may feel being attracted by the idea they feel is "inspired" by the object when in reality it is imposed onto them by it. The onset time is very pair-dependent and no case was noted when an idea would not eventually start growing onto the other object or the mind if that was the case.

It felt like a true home! Never before did he feel so agitated, so full of energy when coming back. At first he thought it was the spaciousness and peace of the Cymrian lakes and the woods that calmed his nerves. But now... now he understood there was much more to it. It was this cottage, this beautiful wooden cottage with its warm sunset-shaded walls and the dark veiny patterns. It was so unilke Gáláwá, that he could not believe there once was a time when he enjoyed living in his previous place. How dull his live must've been? He could not remember. He would not remember! What for when there is a place like that and all to his heart's content?

PLACEHOLDER MARMOTS by PxHere (edit by Angantyr)

Meeting half way

Once the osmosis starts, it can happen that it will stop half way, when the concept gradient between the interacting objects disappears. When constructing a proper assimilation setup, one must remember that the capacity of an object (or the mind) to house a particular concept is proportional to the "assimilation volume", which relies both on the physical volume and the number, and type, of the concepts already present in the object. These quantities as well are part of the "assimilation pressure", which is the end pressure a concept can be assimilated to, either by filling in the remaining space or by taking place of some existing concepts, relatively weaker with respect it.

Pulled into the fire

It can happen that during the assimilation, and after the half-way stage, the concepts will be pulled inside. In such situations it is more than the osmosis at hand and is often the case of the internal concepts pulling in the assimilated one, forming new connections and rearranging the existing ones. To the outside observer this can look as a transformation spell is being cast upon the object as the object will undergo changes not only on the immaterial plane but often on the material one as well. It all depends on the nature of the two interacting objects.

PLACEHOLDER MARMOTS by PxHere (edit by Angantyr)